Splice assemblies are used, for example, in automotive applications in which a centralized connector is needed to connect one or more main cables to one or more branching cables. One such splice arrangement is known as an insulation displacement crimp (IDC) splice. United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2010/0029129 A1 to Cox et al. discloses an example of such an IDC splice. Cox et al. teaches that first and second wires are spliced using an electrically conductive IDC element which takes the form of an elongated U-shape. The IDC element includes a main base portion that connects first and second end portions. The first and second end portions each include a funnel or V-shaped wire reception slot that is configured to engage the wires that are to be spliced. In order to splice the first and second wires, the wires are forced into the respective V-shaped wire reception slot where insulation of the wires is displaced and the conductive core of the wires makes electrical contact with the IDC element, thereby placing the first wire in electrical communication with the second wire through the IDC element. IDC splice assemblies may be acceptable in some applications, however, some conductive core materials, for example aluminum, may not perform adequately in such IDC splice assemblies. Furthermore, IDC splice assemblies may not perform adequately in environments that are subjected to certain vibrations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,441 to Kawamura et al. teaches another splice arrangement. Kawarmura et al. teaches that multiple wires are spliced by first stripping the insulation away from the ends of the conductors of each of the wires that are to be spliced. The exposed conductors are then subjected to an ultrasonic welding process to form the splice. This method of splicing is categorized as an off-line process and requires a separate station to complete. Consequently, the process may be time and cost intensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,980,872 to Smutny et al. teaches another splice arrangement. Smutny et al. teaches an insulative housing with a terminal receiving tray which receives a plurality of terminals. The terminals are held in place by a cover of the housing which is formed integrally with the housing. After all of the terminals are positioned in the receiving tray, the cover is closed, thereby retaining the terminals within the housing. A bus plate within the housing places the terminals in electrical communication with each other. This splice arrangement may require all of the terminals to be positioned within the housing before any of the terminals can be positively retained within the housing.
Other known splice assemblies may include multiple insulative bodies or housings which must be connected together. Such splice assemblies that include multiple insulative bodies or housings may be time and cost intensive.
What is needed is a splice assembly which minimizes or eliminates one or more of the shortcomings as set forth above.